Eating in and around New Haven

Sure, people think of Yale when they think New Haven; a lot of people also think of pizza, and that is also where my Connecticut trip took me. With a trusted local at the lead, I got a taste of two famous pizza joints (next time, Sally's).

Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana

"Medium" pizza, half pepperoni half spinach

On a trip to New Haven, you simply cannot bypass a culinary tour of the region's celebrated, eponymous pizza, nor would you want to. First stop: Pepe's. Founded in 1925, Pepe's is credited with inventing New Haven's thin-crust "apizza." All pies are cooked in 14' x 14' brick, coal-fired ovens, giving the crust a slightly charred finish on the outside. For me, the dough set Pepe's apart with just enough chew and just enough crunch. However, the pizza was almost excessively oily, making the pizza more difficult to stomach on the final slices. That being said, I definitely want to go back for their fresh tomato pie (only in the summer, clearly made with fresh, native tomatoes) and their acclaimed white clam pizza.

(Pepe's)

Rich Farm Ice Cream Shop

All ice cream is made fresh daily on the premises, too

Nothing like finishing breakfast with a little dessert. That's exactly what Dileep and I did the next morning. Located on the family's original dairy farm that originated over sixty years ago, the ice cream shop opened in 1994 and makes all of the ice cream daily. Their portions are more than generous (a theme at all of the food stops on the trip), and I enjoyed two large scoops, one of toasted almond and the other of maple walnut.

(Rich Farm)

Bar

Pizzeria, brewery, and nightclub

The second and final stop on the New Haven Pizza Tour. Ostensibly a haven for nightlife, Bar was strictly a hip pizzeria and brewery at five in the afternoon. Located in a refurbished automobile showroom, Bar had a number of cool and unique spaces, punctuated by a large brick oven at one end and brew kettles at the other. Sitting atop a small second-story landing, I enjoyed Bar's renowned mashed potato and bacon white pie. Unlike Pepe's, the crust had little chew, was more brittle, and less oily. Though lighter, it also had less character. Nonetheless, the mashed potatoes and the crispy bacon went well with the crust and each bite was accented by hints of garlic. Ultimately, Pepe's had more history and Bar was more hip; the pies at both places were superb, and I'm already dying to go back.

(Bar)